Weve all heard about hoarding, thanks to the recent spate of television shows on the subject. Hoarding is the compulsive disorder to keep stuff that has little or no value to others even when it takes over your own living space to the point where you cant walk through the living room. I admit I feel a twinge of superiority when I watch these shows because Im a fanatic discarder and a confirmed neatnik. Only last week I threw out my husbands old love letters during a routine sweep of my closet. When I told my best friend about it, her jaw dropped.
Now Im wondering whether I go overboard. Am I a clutter-phobe?
Experts say being too tidy can be the sign of a bigger problem. In fact, hyper-concern about order is a shadow syndrome of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized by intrusive and/or inappropriate recurring thoughts or impulses that cause OCD sufferers anxiety. And to relieve themselves of this anxiety, they engage in repetitive behaviors or rituals. For neat freaks, that means continually cleaning and placing things in their proper place.
Thank goodness, I think I havent crossed that line. Theres a difference between people who have a problem with being neat and organized and those who just love it tidy. In order to determine whether you have an organizational disorder, or are simply a neatness lover, experts say you can ask yourself the following questions:
Do I spend more than an hour a day cleaning?
Can I stop cleaning when I want to?
Do unclean, dusty or out-of-place objects cause a significant amount of distress or agitation?
Is anyone close to me troubled by my insistence for perfect cleanliness?
